The 25 Days Of Your Job Search

It's almost a new year. With that new year, many people are looking at what strategies will help them land that new, dream job. But don't be fooled by the holiday hubbub and pause your job search — hiring managers are absolutely still working and looking for new talent during the holiday season.

Actually, they have more incentives to hire now. Why? Many companies receive federal income and employment tax benefits due to hiring during the holiday season, among other stipulations, under the HIRE Act.

All the more reason to stay active this holiday season during your job search! And if you're looking to discover what tactics you should use in your job search, take a hint from this list of the 25 days of your job search:

Day 3: Create your elevator pitch. Draft a 30-second pitch for potential employers on why you are right for their company.

Day 4: Refocus your cover letter drafts. All cover letters should be specific to each job, but sometimes it's helpful to have updated drafts ready to edit.

Day 5:Register your resume and cover letter on large job boards. Online job boards like Monster, CareerBuilder, and Indeed all allow you to post your resume and cover letters on their site for recruiters to find.

Day 6:Define your networking strategy. Networking is the most important aspect of your job search. Who do you want to connect with, how, by when, and what's your pitch?

Day 7: Update your social media profiles. Make sure all of your social media profiles are updated and professional, including a proper headshot and bio.

Day 8:Pinpoint niche job boards. While large job boards are nice, don't forget to use niche job boards too.

Day 9:Search for recruiters in your targeted area. Sometimes, recruitment agencies are a great place to get started with your job search. Just remember that recruiters are usually working for the employers, not you.

Day 10:Take a look at the classifieds. While most job seekers are looking online for jobs, don't forget to take a look at the classified ads in your local newspaper, too!

Day 11:Network, network, network. You have your networking strategy set, so start connecting with people. Be sure to share, not sell.

Day 12: Stand out and create a video resume or infographic. If you want to be a little creative, try creating a video resume or resume infographic to catch the attention of hiring managers.

Day 13: Organize your networking contacts. Don't make the mistake of forgetting who you've contacted and followed up with-keep it all in a Word doc or spreadsheet.

Day 14:Organize the jobs you plan to apply to and research each company. Once you've determined what jobs are good for you, research the company prior to sending in that application. If possible, tailor your resume and cover letter to fit the needs of that specific job and company.

Day 15:Apply for the jobs you've found through large job boards, niche job boards, recruiters, and networking. Try doing this throughout the entire 25 days of your job search!

Day 16:Create a spreadsheet of the jobs you've applied to. You don't want to apply for the same job twice, so stay organized and know where you've applied and who you still need to follow up with.

Day 17:Schedule informational interviews. If you're generating some interesting new job contacts, ask them to meet for an informational interview to learn more about them or their company.

Day 18:Target new contacts via social media. Social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter are great ways to target new networking contacts.

Day 19:Send thank you notes to new networking contacts. If you've had the chance to connect with new job contacts via phone, email, or informational interviews, be sure to thank them for their time in form of a thank you note.

Day 20:Follow up on job applications. Use the spreadsheet that you've been updating to follow up on your job applications. Make note of who you sent your application to or if it was through a ATS platform. Either way, you should be able to find an email or phone number to contact.

Day 21:Prepare for your interviews by researching the company and the interviewer. Through all your hard work, interviews should start rolling in within a few months. Before you attend the interview, make sure you know the in's and out's of the company, as well as pertinent information about your interviewer.

Day 22:Update any portfolio materials or work-related examples. Spruce up your past work example to ensure their professional, accurate, and relevant to the job.

Day 23: Prepare a list of questions for your interviewer. Through your company research, you should have a few questions for the hiring manager. Show your interest in the position and company by asking these questions at the conclusion of the interview.

Day 24: Follow up with a post-interview thank you note. As usual, the thank you note is a great way to solidify your candidacy for a job.

Day 25:Be patient. You might not land an interview in 25 days. But if you follow the steps above, you'll certainly become a competitive job seeker. So, be patient as you continue your job search into the new year.

What other tactics would you add to the 25 Days Of Your Job Search list?

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.